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So that's why I haven't won the lottery! Does this means that God didn't really tell Oral Roberts he would die if he didn't raise $8 million? I'm shocked. (Well, he got his $8 million all those years ago, but he died anyway. What does that say about God?)

The video makes so much sense, even a 5th grader should understand it. But I'm sure it will have absolutely no effect on true believers who see what they believe.

I actually came to this blog because the search engine seemed to think it was related to a review of The God Delusion that I just wrote. After searching around, it seems that I was misled, but I think the book is still relevant to the topic of this blog. My review is basically analytical and sympathetic, though I disagree with a few minor points. As regards this blog, I don't recall him saying that much about evangelical Christianity specifically, though I personally studied it quite a bit many years ago...

Those who seek a formulaic approach towards the divine are not superior in their need for God's grace, that is for sure. But one of the most compelling results of prayer that I have experienced is an inner change (the kingdom of heaven is within).

I remember reading in a Christian counseling book that evangelical Christians are the most likely to divorce, but couple who PRAY TOGETHER often are much less likely to divorce. I wish I could remember which book it was so that I could look up the reference.

I know born again Christians get divorced at a slightly higher rate than average, but I find it reasonable that couples who take the time to pray together every day in general do not get divorced. Of course, only close couples would pray together, and people who pray together every single day are very religious, and very religious people are not supposed to get divorced.

MMM-I am curious as to your take on this video? Christians often talk about the fact that prayer changes the person praying more than it changes events in the world and that may be true, but the Bible seems to talk a lot about actually GETTING THINGS DONE with prayer. This video seems to show pretty clearly that the yes, no wait glasses that you view prayer through allow even inanimate objects to answer every prayer.

Jeff wrote this: "This video seems to show pretty clearly that the yes, no wait glasses that you view prayer through allow even inanimate objects to answer every prayer."

Hi Jeff - I have found that God is not limited in His ability to respond and approach humanity in accordance with our heartfelt preferences. "Yes", "No", or "maybe" as the only expectations for God's answers sounds as though one might be addressing a robot. If I were God, I might be tempted to be offended but He is gracious towards we who are small minded.

So, for me, this video is a good representation of what I believe has happened regionally to faith - that it has become infected with pride and idolotry (Jesus spoke about this and warned about it in a parable addressing ppl who approached Him with a list of their "accomplishments" in perpetrating double standards and hypocrisy) .

Also Jeff I wanted to talk a little more about this: "Christians often talk about the fact that prayer changes the person praying more than it changes events in the world and that may be true,"

If a believer allows God to change themselves inwardly, it will show outwardly. When I first was a believer, I came to the realization that I was terrified of hearing from God - I had gotten my notions about the supernatural from ppl in my real life and I never knew or realized that. So, it was/has been quite an overcoming to trust that He isn't going to scold me, condemn me, or hold me in contempt or make unreasonable demands of me. This persona that I had projected upon God was what idolotry is about and it kept me "blind" and "deaf" for most of my life.

Mostly dropped by again because I subscribed to several blogs related to my recent blog entry (on Dawkins's book), and this seems to be the most active one. On today's visit, I actually watched the video, and I'm afraid I didn't find it any more persuasive or interesting that it seemed to be. Dawkins handled the topic more skillfully, actually--but he did spend a lot longer on it. He actually included that study and some others.

Anyway, I've never been interested in the Christianity website you (our host) mentioned, but I'm curious what basis they would have for any "No" answer from a so-called 'just God', at least as regards sincere prayers coming from a true believer.

Of course, being a nasty old logician, then I'd ask what God would do when one true believer sincerely prayed against the prayer of another.

By the way, I'm revising that review of the book to consider the paradoxical relationship of religion to evolution and historical trends in new religions.